Recently, Apple provided developers with the fourth beta of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 to further test the new Apple Intelligence feature. This update was released about two weeks after the third beta. At the same time, Apple also launched the first beta of watchOS 11.1, visionOS 2.1, and tvOS 18.1, continuing to provide developers with early trial and feedback opportunities.
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s new generation of intelligent interactive tools, providing a range of features such as powerful writing tools, text editing functions and voice interaction improvements in iOS, iPadOS and macOS systems. On devices that support Apple Intelligence, users can spell check, fix grammar, rewrite text in a different tone or summarize the article at any time. These writing tools of Apple Intelligence are seamlessly integrated into the system and can be used almost anywhere you can select or edit text.
It is worth noting that while updates to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 are now available for all devices, the full functionality of Apple Intelligence still requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, or an iPad and Mac equipped with Apple’s self-developed chips to function fully.
In this beta version, Siri also has a new design, and its interface now has a soft halo effect, which improves the visual experience. In addition to voice input, Apple has also added a new “Type to Siri” function, allowing users to interact with Siri even when it is inconvenient to speak. Siri also has better contextual understanding capabilities. Even if the user pauses or repeats in the expression, Siri can keep up with the conversation and maintain understanding of the request.
In addition, the Safari browser has added an automatic summary feature to help users quickly obtain key information from articles. The newly added “Reduce Disturbance” mode focuses on reducing the frequent interruptions of notifications, allowing users to have a quieter experience in focus mode.
Apple Intelligence is not limited to text and voice, it has been further expanded in many of Apple’s applications. For example, the smart reply function is now applied to Messages and Mail applications to help users quickly respond to common questions. The Mail application will also automatically pin urgent emails to the top to remind users to deal with them as soon as possible. In addition, the Photos application has added the Memory Movie function, which allows users to generate personalized photo slideshows through simple text descriptions.
Apple also introduced call recording, transcription and summarization functions for the first time. This function is not only applicable to phone recording, but also supports any type of audio files, further improving the efficiency of users in processing information.
